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BY-LAWS 




UJb 



IN THE CITY OF BROOKLYN. 

(As Adopted May 6th, 1881.) 



Officers, Directors, Standing Committees 
AND Council of the Society. 



^ — : . ^ 



BY-LAWS 



— OF — 



rHE NEW ::':-la::: society 

4 

IN THE CITY OF BROOKLYN. 

(As Adopted May 6th, 1981.) 



Officers. Directors, Standing Committees 
AND Council of the Society. 



2 

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION. 



State of New York, \ 
County of Kings, ^ss.: 
City of Brooklyn, ) 

We, the undersigned citizens of the United States and citizens 
of the State of New York, to wit : Benjamin D. Silliman, Calvin 
E. Pratt, Ripley Ropes, Charles Storrs, Hiram W. Hunt, William B. 
Kendall, and John Winslow, do hereby certify, that we desire 
to form a Society pursuant to the provisions of an act entitled "An 
Act for the Incorporation of Societies or Clubs for certain lawful 
purposes," passed May 12, 1875. and of the act extending and 
amending said act. 

That the corporate name of said Society is to be The New 
England Society in the City of Brooklyn, and the objects 
for which such Society is formed are to encourage the study of New 
England History, and for such purpose to establish a Library, and 
also for social purposes, and to promote charity and good fellowship 
among its members. 

That the term of existence of the said Society is to be fifty 
years. 

That the number of Directors who shall manage the concerns 
of said Society shall be twelve, and <the names of such Directors for 
the first year are the following, 1(0/\^ft : Benjamin D. Silliman, John 
Winslow, Calvin E. Pratt, Henry W. Slocum, Wm. B. Kendall, 
Charles Storrs, Wm. H. Lyon, Ripley Ropes, Geo. H. Fisher, 
Hiram W. Hunt, A. S. Barnes, A. W. Tenney. 

That the name of tjie City in which the operations of such 
Society are to be carried on, is the City of Brooklyn, in the County 
of Kings, and State of New York. 

- Witness: BENJ. D. SILLIMAN, 

John Heydinger, Jr. C. E. PRATT, 

RIPLEY ROPES, 
JOHN WINSLOW, 
HIRAM W. HUNT, 
CHAS. STORRS, 
WM. B. KENDALL. 

(Jifb 

3 U:\:i. 



State of New York, ) 
County of Kings, ^ss.: 

City of Brooklyn, .) 

On this 20tli day of February, A. D. 1880, before me personally 
appeared, Benj. D. Silliman, Calvin E. Pratt, Ripley Ropes, Chas. 
Storrs, Hiram W. Hunt, William B. Kendall, and John Winslow, 
to me known to be the individuals described in and who executed 
the foregoing certificate, and they severally, before me signed the 
said certificate, and acknowledged that they signed the same for 
the purposes therein mentioned. 

JOHN HEYDINGER, Jr., 

j Notarial I Notary Public, 

Kings County, N. Y. 

I hereby approve the within Certificate, and consent that it be 

filed. 

J. W. GILBERT, 

J. S. C. 

Filed in the office of the Clerk of the County of Kings and in 

the Office of the Secretary of State, at Albany, February 27th, 1880. 

for the Incorporators, by 

JOHN WINSLOW. 



For particulars concerning eligibility, admission, membership, 
fees and dues, see Article Two, page 7. 

A. E. LAMB, Secretary, 

377 Fulton St., Brooklyn, 

WM. B. KENDALL, Treasurer, 

100 Worth St., New York. 



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OFFICERS, 



President : 
BENJAMIN D. SILLIMAN. 

First Vice-President : Second Vice-President : 

JOHN WINSLOW. CHARLES STORRS. 

Treasurer : 
WILLIAM B. KENDALL. 



Recording Secretary : 
ALBERT E. LAMB. 



Corresponding Secretary : 
Rev. a. p. PUTNAM. 



Historiographer : Librarian : 

ALDEN J. SPOONER. Rev. W. H. WHITTEMORE. 



DIRECTORS. 



For One Tear. 

John Winslow, 
Calvin E. Pratt, 
A. W. Tenney. 



For Three Years. 

Benjamin D. Silliman. 
Hiram W. Hunt. 
George H. Fisher. 



F)'om December, 1880. 



For Two Years. 

Ripley Ropes, 
A. S. Barnes, 
Henry W. Slocum. 

For Four Years. 

William H. Lyon. 
Wm. B. Kendall, 
Charles Storrs. 



COUNCIL. 



Alexander M. White, 
A. A. Low, 
Horace B. Claflin. 
John B, Hutchinson, 
Charles Pratt, 
S. B. Chittenden, 
Joshua M. Van Cott, 
John F. Henry, 
R. Cornell White, 
Albert Woodruff. 
Amos Bobbins, 
E. H. R. Lyman, 
Leonard Richardson, 
Charles E. Bill, 
William Coit, 



Henry E . Pierrepont, 
John Greenwood, 
Charles E. West, 
Charles L. Benedict, 
George G. Reynolds, 
8. L. Woodford. 
Thomas H. Rodman, 
Ben J. F. Tracy, 
E. R. Durkee, 
Gordon L. Ford, 

D. L. Northrop, 

E. S. Sanford, 
Arthur Mathewson, 
Augustus Storrs, 
James How. 



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STANDING COMMITTEES. 



FINANCE : 

Charles Storks, William H. Lyon, 

George H. Fisher. 



Ripley Ropes, 



CHARITY : 



A. W. Tenney. 



Henry W. Slocum, 



INVITATIONS: 

Benjamin D. Silliman, Rev. A. P. Putnam, 

John Winslow. 



ANNUAL FESTIVAL: 

Wm. B. Kendall, Calvin E. Pratt, 

Hiram W. Hunt. 



John Winslow, 



PUBLICATIONS . 



Charles Storrs. 



A. S. Barnes, 



BY-LAWS. 



ARTICLE 1. 

OBJECTS OF THE SOCIETY. 

The New Eiigliind Society in the City of Brooklyn is 
incorporated and organized, to commemorate the Umding 
of the Pilgrim Fathers; to encourage the study of New 
England history ; to establish a library, and to promote 
charity, good fellowship and social intercourse among its 
members. 

ARTICLE IL 

MEMBERSHIP, ADMISSION" FEE AND DUES. 

Any male person of good moral character who is a native 
or descendant of a native of any of the New England 
States, and who is eighteen years old or more is elegible to, 
and may be elected a member of the Society at any meeting 
thereof, or at any meeting of the Board of Directors : 
Provided^ that no person so elected shall have or exercise 
any right or privilege of membership before paying the 
admission fee to the Treasurer. 

The admission fee shall be ten dollars. 

The dues shall be five dollars a year, and shall be pay- 
able in the month of January in each year. 

Dues not paid on or before the first day of November 
in each year shall be deemed in arrears. 



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No member in arrears shall vote at any meeting of the 
Society or be elegible to any office therein. 

If the dues of any member shall remain unpaid for a 
period exceeding one year, the Board of Directors may 
expel such member for non-payment of dues. 

Any member of the Society in good standing may be- 
come a Life Member on paying to the Treasurer the sum 
of fifty dollars; or on paying a sum Avhich in addition to 
dues previously paid by him shall amount to fifty dollars, 
and thereafter such member shall be exempt from further 
payment of dues. 

If. for any cause, any person shall cease to be a member 
of the Society, all the right, title and interest of such per- 
son in and to the funds and property of the Society, shall 
revert to and be vested in the Society. 

AKTICLE III. 

ANNUAL MEETING OP THE SOCIETY AND ELECTION 

OF DIRECTORS. 

The Annual Meeting of the Society, for the election of 
Directors, and other business, shall be held the first Wed- 
nesday in December, at such hour and place as the Direc- 
tors may determine. The Recording Secretary shall publish 
(in two daily newspapers in the City of Brooklyn) a notice 
of such meeting, six consecutive days prior thereto, and 
shall send a copy of such notice by mail, post-paid, to 
each member of the Society. The twelve Directors elected 
at the first Annual Meeting of the Society, having been 
divided into four classes of three Directors each, as provi- 
ded by law, it is hereby provided, that at every Annual 



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Meeting hereafter, the members of the Society shall elect 
by ballot, three Directors who shall hold office for four 
years, or until their successors are elected. 

ARTICLE IV. 

OFFICERS AND THEIR ELECTION". 

The Officers of the Society shall be a President, First 
Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Treasurer, Record- 
ing Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Historiographer 
and Librarian. 

Such Officers shall be elected by the Directors at the 
first meeting of the Board after the Annual Meeting of the 
Society, and shall hold office for the term of one year, or 
until their successors are elected. 

ARTICLE V. 

DUTIES OF DIRECTORS. 

It shall be the duty of the Directors to control and 
manage the affairs and funds of the Society ; to elect 
officers ; to fill vacancies in the Board ; to elect members 
and honorary members to and Standing Committees and 
Council of the Society ; and to do all lawful things which 
they may deem expedient and proper to promote the objects 
of the Society. Seven of the Directors shall be a quorum. 

ARTICLE VL 

DUTIES OF PRESIDENT AND VICE-PRESIDENTS. 

It shall be the duty of the President to preside at all 
meetings of the Society and of the Board of Directors. 



]0 

In bis absence tbe First Vice-President, or in bis absence 
tbe Second Vice-President, or in tbe absence of all sncb 
officers, at any meeting of tbe Society, one of its members 
may be selected to preside tbereat. In tbe absence of all 
such officers, at any meeting of tbe Board of Directors, 
one of tbe Directors may be selected to preside tbereat. 

At the Annual Meeting of the Society, it shall be tbe 
duty of tbe President to make a report, stating such mat- 
ters as he may deem of interest or importance to tbe 
Society. 

ARTICLE VII. 

DUTIES OF TREASURER. 

It shall be the duty of the Treasurer, to take charge of 
tbe seal, money, funds and securities of the Society ; to 
pay all bills and accounts ; to collect all sums of money 
and accounts, fees and dues; to keep a record of all moneys 
received and paid, and render an account thereof to the 
Board of Directors ; to report to tbe Society at tbe Annual 
Meeting, and to perform such other duties as may be 
assigned him by the Board of Directors. 

ARTICLE VIIL 

DUTIES OF RECORDIifG SECRETARY. 

It shall be the duty of the Recording Secretary to call, 
as herein provided, all meetings of the Members, Directors, 
and Council of tbe Society ; to make and keep a record of 
the acts and proceedings of such meetings ; to notify all 
persons of their election as Members, Directors, Officers, 



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Council or Standing Committees of the Society ; to fur- 
nish the President data for his Annual Report ; to prepare 
and have printed annually a pamphlet containing the 
names of the Officers, Directors, Council, Members and 
Committees of the Society, the By-Laws, and an account 
of the proceedings at the x\nnual Meeting and Festival ; 
and to perform such other duties as may be .assigned him 
by the Board of Directors and the Standing Committees. 

ARTICLE IX. 

DUTIES OF CORRESPONDING SECRETARY. 

It shall be the duty of the Corresponding Secretary to 
conduct such correspondence as may be required by the 
Board of Directors and the Standing Committees. 

ARTICLE X. 

DUTIES OF THE HISTORIOGRAPHER. 

It shall be the duty of the Historiographer to prepare 
the necrology of members, to keep a record of the deaths 
of members, the place and date of their birth and death, 
and the date of their admission to the Society ; and on 
the last day of November in each year, to make a copy of 
such record for the preceding year, and to deliver such 
copy to the President three days before the Annual 
Meeting. 

ARTICLE XL 

DUTIES OF THE LIBRARIAN. 

It shall be the duty of the Librarian to classify, cata- 
logue and take charge of all books, pamphlets and relics 



12 

which may become the property of the Society ; to 
acknowledge all donations of books, pamphlets and relics, 
and to make and deliver to the President three days before 
the Annual Meeting, a report of the condition of the 
Library. 

ARTICLE XIL 

ELECTION AND DUTIES OF THE COUNCIL. 

The Directors shall elect, annually, a Council of thirty 
members who shall hold office for one year from their 
election, or until their successors are elected. Members of 
the Council may advise and consult with the Directors and 
Officers on matters of interest or importance to the Society. 

ARTICLE XIIL 

STANDING COMMITTEES. 

In the month of January or February in each year, the 
Board of Directors shall elect five Standing Committees, 
consisting of three persons each: a Committee on Finance; 
a Committee on Charity ; a Committee on Invitations ; ^ 
Committee on Annual Festival; a Committee on Publica- 
tions. Each of such Committees may consist of two 
Directors and one member of the Society, and shall hold 
office for the term of one year or until their successors are 
elected, and shall be subject to the control of the Board of 
Directors. 

ARTICLE XIV. 

DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE. 

It shall be the duty of the Committee on Finance, to 
audit all Bills and Accounts of the Society, in the months 



13 

of June and November in each year, and to perform such 
other duties relating to the accounts, funds and finances 
of the Society, as may be assigned them by the Board of 
Directors. 

ARTICLE XV. 

DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE ON CHARITY. 

It shall be the duty of the Committee on Charity, to 
distribute and disburse such moneys as may be appropriated 
by the Board of Directors for charitable purposes, as pro- 
vided by Article Twenty-four, and to render an account of 
all such distributions and disbursements to the Board of 
Directors. 

ARTICLE XVI. 

DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE OJ^" IN"VITATIONS. 

It shall be the duty of the Committee on Invitations, to 
invite and receive all guests of the Society at the. Annual 
Festival ; to select the speakers, and prepare and assign 
the toasts. 

ARTICLE XVII. 

DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE ON AN'NUAL FESTIVAL. 

It shnll be the duty of the Committee on Annual Festi- 
val to make all arrangements, and to do and procure each 
and everything therefor, not herein otherwise provided to 
be done and procured. 

ARTICLE XVIIL 

DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE o:N" PUBLICATIONS. 

It shall be the duty of the Committee on Publications 
to supervise such publications as the Recording Secretary 



14 

is required to make by Article Eight, and perform such 
other duties as may be assigned them by the Board of 
Directors. 

ARTICLE XIX. 

ANNUAL FESTIVAL. 

The Annual Festival of the Society shall be held in the 
month of December, on such day as may be designated by 
the Board of Directors. 

ARTICLE XX. 

SPECIAL MEETINGS OF THE SOCIETY. 

On the request in writing of any five members of the 
Society, the President, or if he be absent from the city, 
either of the Vice-Presidents, shall request the Secretary 
to call a special meeting of the Society. In compliance 
therewith, the Secretarv shall cause a notice of such meet- 
ing to be published in two daily newsijapers published in 
the City of Brooklyn, for three consecutive days prior 
thereto, and shall send (by mail, post-paid) a copy of such 
notice to each member of the Society. 

ARTICLE XXL 

MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. 

The President, or if he be absent from the city, either 
of the Vice-Presidents, or any three Directors, may request 
the Secretary to call a meeting of the Directors. In com- 
pliance therewith, the Secretary shall send (by mail, post- 
paid) to each Director, a notice of such meeting, at least 
one day prior thereto. 



15 
ARTICLE XXII, 

ORDER OF BUSINESS AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF 

THE SOCIETY. 

1st — Reading of Minutes of last Annual Meeting. 

2(3 — Election of Members. 

3d — Reports of Standing Committees. 

4th — Report of Treasurer. 

5th — Report of the President. 

6th — Other Business. 

ARTICLE XXIIL 

ORDER OF BUSINESS AT DIRECTORS' MEETINGS. 

1st — Reading of the Minutes. 
2d — Report of Committees. 
3d — Election of Members. 
4th — Report of Treasurer. 
5th — Other Business. 

ARTICLE XXIV. 

CHARITIES. 

If in the judgment of the Board of Directors, they are 
in need of it, the widow or children of any deceased mem- 
ber shall receive from the funds of the Society, a sum 
equal to five times the amount such deceased member has 
paid to the Society ; such sum to be paid in equal annual 
payments for five successive years after the decease of such 
member. The said annuity shall not be paid to any such 



16 

widow after she shall have married again, but shall be paid 
to such of the children as are not able to earn their 
subsistence. 

ARTICLE XXV. 

RESIGNATIONS. 

All resignations of membership in the Society shall be 
in writing and shall be delivered to the Recording 
Secretary. 

ARTICLE XXVL 

AMENDMENTS TO BY-LAWS. 

The By-Laws of the Society may be altered or amended, 
by vote of two- thirds of all- the Directors, provided that a 
written notice of such projoosed alteration or amendment 
shall have been presented at a meeting of the Board held 
one month or more previous to the adoption thereof. 



A true copy as adopted May 6, 1881. 

A. E. LAMB. 

Recording Secretary. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



013 984 634 5 



